Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Ace reinsman Gary Hall Jnr won the inaugural The West Australian Nights Of Thunder in 2007, and he is aiming to notch a record fifth success in the $50,000 1730m feature sprint event at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he drives Spicey Major from the coveted No. 1 barrier.
Tealsby Karita was a $3 chance from the No. 3 barrier when he finished strongly to beat Perfect Order by a length in the 2007 Nights Of Thunder, and Hall followed this with wins with Hokonui Ben in 2013, Benhope Rulz in 2019 and Jawsoflincoln in 2024.
Hokonui Ben ($1.50 from barrier three) raced in the breeze before winning by three lengths from Heisbackinblack; Benhope Rulz ($7.50 from barrier five) also raced without cover before winning from As Happy As Larry; and Jawsoflincoln ($4.10 from barrier six) raced in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before flying home from fifth on the home turn to beat the pacemaker and $2.75 favourite Chal Patch.
Hall is planning to take full advantage of Spicey Major’s sparkling gate speed in a bid for an all-the-way victory on Friday night.
“There’s no ifs or maybes with Spicey Major; it’s all or nothing,” said Hall. “And I’ll be looking to lead.”
Five-year-old Spicey Major was the fastest qualifier last Friday night when he set the pace from the No. 1 barrier and rated 1.52.4 and beat Chivalry by five metres.
“Spicey Major travelled well last week, though a little strong but not too bad,” said Hall. “He loves to carve out those quick sectionals and I was pleased last week that his final quarter (28sec.) was his fastest. He looked in trouble at the 400m, but he ended up winning easily.”
Hall, who trains Spicey Major, also has Ventura engaged in the final, drawn to begin out wide at barrier eight in the field of nine. Stuart McDonald will handle Ventura, who was driven by Hall when he began from the outside barrier in a qualifying heat and challenged hard but unsuccessfully for the early lead from the polemarker Spyglass.
Ventura was most impressive at his previous six starts which produced three wins and two placings. He is certainly a knockout chance on Friday night.
“Ventura went super last week, and he is going as good as a horse can go, but he appears to face an uphill battle from the wide barrier,” said Hall, who drove four winners at the Gloucester Park meeting on Tuesday evening.
Thenu Came Along, who rated 1.53.3 in winning a heat last Friday night, is awkwardly drawn at barrier five, but he cannot be left out of calculations. He began from the No. 7 barrier in his heat when he charged home from last at the bell to win by two lengths from Bellezza Nera. He is a splendid sit-sprinter, and Deni Roberts is sure to rely heavily on his finishing brilliance.
Thenu Came Along is trained by Greg and Skye Bond, who prepared Ocean Ridge in the 2020 Nights Of Thunder when he was the $1.80 favourite who set the pace from the No. 3 barrier and beat Bob Wheel by four lengths at a 1.52.6 rate. The Bond stable also won this event with Quick Draw McCaw (2008) and Ohokas Bondy (2012).
Trainer Lindsay Harper has two runners — Sugar Apple (barrier three) and Chivalry (barrier four) — in Friday night’s race. He will handle Chivalry, and his daughter-in-law Lauren Harper will drive Sugar Apple.
“Chivalry was very brave last week (when he ran on strongly from fifth at the bell to finish second to Spicey Major),” said Harper. “Sugar Apple’s past two runs (third to Rock Me Over and third to Thenu Came Along) have been good. Last week he got back to last before running on four wide. He likes a mile, and I expect him to go well.”